The present invention relates to an IC connector and, more particularly, to an IC connector for connecting lead terminals of an integrated circuit package (to be referred to as an IC package hereinafter) to connecting terminals.
An IC package of the in-Line type, especially the dual in-line type, incorporating an IC chip generally has a plurality of lead terminals which are connected to the IC chip inside the package and which are aligned parallel to each other to extend outside the package. The lead terminals are inserted into the IC connector so as to be connected to the corresponding connecting terminals. Since the IC package of the dual in-line type must frequently be replaced due to breakdown, repair or other reasons, the IC connector must allow easy mounting and demounting of the IC package of the dual in-line type. In other words, connection and disconnection of the lead terminals and the connecting terminals must be easy. However, the conventional IC connector has drawbacks to be described below.
In a conventional IC connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when lead terminals 4 extending from an IC package 2 of the dual in-line type are connected to connecting terminals 8, respectively, the lead terminals 4 are inserted into holes 6 formed in the IC connector 1. The holes 6 are aligned almost linearly in correspondence with the lead terminals 4. The connecting terminals 8 having contact portions of substantially V shapes are respectively fixed in the holes 6. When a lever 9 is moved from the position indicated by the two-dots dashed line to a position indicated by the solid line in the figure, a slide plate 10 with the IC package of the dual in-line type placed thereon is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 12. Thus, the lead terminals 4 are urged against the contact portions of the connecting terminals 8 as shown in FIG. 2, so that the lead terminals 4 and the connecting terminals 8 are electrically connected. In order to demount the IC package 2 of the dual in-line type from the IC connector 1, the lever 9 is moved from the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the two-dots dashed line. Then, the lead terminals 4 are separated from the connecting terminals 8 through the slide plate 10. The IC package 2 may then be demounted together with the lead terminals 4.
The conventional IC connector 1 described above has the following drawbacks.
First, when the lead terminals are urged against the connecting terminals, the IC package is moved to exert a considerable great force on the proximal portion of each lead terminal. This may lead to damage to the proximal portion of the lead terminal.
Secondly, contact pressure and range between each lead terminal and an associated connecting terminal vary in accordance with individual lead terminals; therefore, uniform contact between the lead terminals and the connecting terminals may not be obtained.
Thirdly, since the sliding range of the slide plate is long, the size of the IC connector becomes great. For this reason, when this conventional IC connector is used, the number of IC packages which may be mounted within a unit area of the printed circuit board becomes smaller.
Lastly, a lever is required to complicate the structure of the IC connector.
Another conventional IC connector will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Holes (not shown) in which connecting terminals 16 with elasticity are fixed are formed in a main body 15. Holes 18 are formed in a slide plate 24 in correspondence with these holes so as to guide lead terminals 22 of an IC package 20 of the dual in-line type. In order to connect the lead terminals 22 to the connecting terminals 16 of the IC connector 14, the IC package 20 is urged against and is placed on the slide plate 24, and the lead terminals 22 are forcibly inserted into holes (not shown) of the IC connector through the holes 18. As shown in FIG. 4, each lead terminal 22 urges against the associated connecting terminal 16 against its elastic force. In order to demount the IC package 20 from the IC connector 14, that is, when the lead terminals 22 are disconnected from the connecting terminals 16, the distal end of a screwdriver is inserted into a groove 26 formed in the IC connector 14. The screwdriver is then pivoted in the direction to contact with a projection 28 of the slide plate 24. Since the slide plate 24 moves with the IC package 20 placed thereon in its longitudinal direction, contact between the lead terminals 22 and the connecting terminals 16 is released by forcible movement of the lead terminals 22. More specifically, the lead terminals 22 are moved in the direction perpendicular to the direction along which elastic force of the connecting terminals 16 acts, thereby releasing contact between the connecting terminals 16 and the lead terminals 22. The IC package 20 may then be removed from the IC connector 14 by the operator. This conventional IC connector also has the following drawbacks.
First, since the IC package is forcibly moved so as to remove the IC package from the IC connector, a great force acts on the proximal portion of each lead terminal. The proximal portion of the lead terminal may be damaged.
Secondly, when the lead terminals are connected to the connecting terminals, that is, when the IC package is connected to the IC connector, the lead terminals must be forcibly inserted against the elastic force of the connecting terminals. This means that a considerable force acts on the IC package on the slide plate. However, since the IC package is generally made of a fragile material such as a ceramic, the IC package may be damaged when it is pressed, or when the IC package is connected to the IC connector.